Tag: books

Local indie bookshops set to celebrate Independent Bookshop Week

·       Authors Rebecca Solnit, Richard Coles, Dorothy Koomson, Patrick Gale, Emma Stonex, Leroy Logan, Tessa Hadley, Eilidh Muldoon, Stephen Payne and more to join celebrations in indies across the UK

·       Bookshop-curated literary festivals, special podcast recordings, poetry showcases, indie offers and exclusives, literary quizzes, bookshops turning into “gnome man’s land” and much more

·       Indie twinning with Andersen Press, And Other Stories, Head of Zeus, Manchester University Press, Guppy Books, Louise Walters Books

The Booksellers Association (BA) has revealed the line-up for this year’s Independent Bookshop Week, the annual celebration of independent bookshops across the UK and Ireland, taking place between 18 – 25 June 2022 and with Hachette as the headline sponsor.

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Top L-R: The Portobello Bookshop’s mural by Eilidh Muldoon (Edinburgh); Brighton Book Festival logo; The Ginger’s Cat Children’s Bookshop (Kilmacolm). Bottom L-R: indie exclusive edition of The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn (Fig Tree); author Tessa Daly; The Big Malarkey Festival logo

With nearly 700 independent bookshops confirmed to take part, celebrations taking place up and down the country include: literary festivals organised by independent bookshops, including the inaugural Brighton Book Festival; special podcast recordings taking place inside the bookshops; poetry showcases; nation-wide bookshop crawls; exclusive early releases for indies; beautiful window displays; local school events, and much more.

Returning with lots of exciting activities, Independent Bookshop Week is encouraging book-lovers of all ages to visit their local independent bookshop and join the celebrations this June.

The line-up for IBW 2022 includes:

BOOKSHOP EVENTS

·     Rev Richard Coles will be doing a tour of independent bookshops during IBW, signing stock of his crime debut Murder Before Evensong (Orion). The tour will stop at Chorleywood Bookshop (Hertfordshire) on Monday 20 June and City Books (Hove) on Wednesday 22 June, among others.

·     Marcus Leaver, Welbeck co-founder and author of A Little Book About Books, will visit 60 independent bookshops throughout Independent Bookshop Week, with the book available exclusively from independent bookshops until September. Confirmed indies include Not Just Books Limited (Thetford), The Book Lounge (Carnforth, Cumbria), The Mainstreet Trading Company (St Boswells), The Edinburgh Bookshop, Booka Bookshop (Oswestry), The Poetry Pharmacy (Shropshire), The Book House (Thame), The Aldeburgh Bookshop, The Holt Bookshop (Norfolk) and The Book Case (Lowdham).

·     The Summer Bookshop Crawl will be setting up nation-wide bookshop crawls, taking place between 17-19 June and covering 10 different locations, including Belfast, Bristol, Edinburgh, Falmouth, Hastings, Leicester, Newcastle, Norwich, Sheffield and Stratford upon Avon.

As well as indie bookshops, their tours will also include second hand and charity bookshops. Participants interested in doing a self-guided bookshop crawl will be able to download a welcome pack from the website including the map, downloadable routes, and a bookshop crawl ID that they can use to claim any discounts and perks from the local bookshops they visit. More info here.

·     Authors and avid bookshop lovers Liz Fenwick and Brigid Coady will be setting up in their annual bookshop crawl with the Romantic Novelists Association, visiting indie bookshops across the country and meeting local booksellers.

·     Afrori Books and The Feminist Bookshop (Brighton) will be launching the first Brighton Book Festival on 24-26 June, with headline names including Guvna’B, Yvonne Bailey Smith, Dorothy Koomson, Leroy Logan, Sabba Khan and Alison Rumfitttaking in discussions covering the myth of the mainstream, masculinities, feminist futures, queer books in Brighton and British culture in books. There will also be a variety of workshops focussing on adapting books to film, pitching your novel, and developing soundtracks for books. More info here.

·     Drake The Bookshop (Stockton-on-Tees) are bringing back their Great North Author Tour (GNAT) on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 June. The tour will see ten authors deliver 20-minute performances and creative writing workshops in local schools on Friday, before going on a whistle stop tour of Stockton, Saltburn, Guisborough, Loftus, Thirsk and Ripon on Saturday, stopping in local bookshops to sign copies of their books. More info here.

·     Portobello Bookshop (Edinburgh) will be doing an event with children’s author and illustrator Eilidh Muldoon, who will be visiting the bookshop on the afternoon of Monday 20 June, to do a reading and a colouring session aimed at young children. On Friday 24 June, Rebecca Solnit will be coming to Edinburgh for a special evening event at the Assembly Rooms on George Street, to discuss her two latest books Orwell’s Rosesand Recollections of My Non-Existence, in conversation with award-winning journalist and author Chitra Ramaswamy. More info here.

·     The Rabbit Hole (Brigg) will be collaborating with Hull City Council at The Big Malarkey Festival, as well as putting together a series of author events and children’s activities to mark IBW. More info here.

·     The Ginger Cat Children’s Bookshop (Kilmacolm) will be doing an event with Amy B Moreno on Monday 20 June at St Columba’s Junior School in Kilmacolm, to celebrate Amy’s book A Billion Balloons of Questions. 

·     Griffin Books (Penarth) is organising lots of events as part of the Penarth Literature Festival to coincide with IBW, with daily events featuring Caryl Lewis, Pamela Petro, Peter Finch, Tessa Hadley, Lauren Ace; a crime writing workshop with Katherine Stansfield; a poetry showcase hosted by Penarth-based poet Stephen Payne; literary quizzes and more. More info here.

·     The Bookery (Crediton) will hold a series of events to mark IBW, including: Patrick Gale and award-winning singer-songwriter Jim Causley will be chatting about Patrick’s latest book Mother’s Boy and Jim will be performing songs based on Causley’s poems on Tuesday 21 June; best-selling authors Laura Shepherd-Robinson and Emma Stonex will be in conversation in an event on Wednesday 22 June; there will be one-on-one ‘illustrator clinics’ with author and illustrator Sarah McIntyre, who is also a patron of The Bookery, on Saturday 18 June. More info here.

·     Niche Comic Books (Huntingdon) will host an open mic poetry night with performance poet, musician and storyteller Fay Roberts on Thursday 23 June, and an acoustic night with talented singer-songwriter Christian Smith on Friday 24 June, both at The Commemoration Hall in Huntingdon. More info here and here.

·     Harris & Harris Books (Suffolk) will be hosting a talk with Annie Garthwaite, author of the outstanding debut novel Cecily, to discuss her book, do a reading and sign copies in the atmospheric Clare Church on Wednesday 22 June. More info here.

·       One Tree Books (Petersfield ) will be visited by best-selling author Kate Mosse, one of the contributors of Marple: Twelve New Stories , a brand new collection of short stories featuring the Queen of Crime’s legendary detective Jane Marple, penned by twelve acclaimed authors, on Wednesday 22 June, 10-12pm. More info here.

·       Confer-Karnac Bookshop (London) will be celebrating IBW and the first year in their new Spitalfields home with all-day celebrations on Saturday 25 June, 11– 5pm. Expect a book launch with author Anne Power, 15% off on all books all day, a talk on ‘How to Get Published’ with Christina Wipf Perry (Publishing Director) and Catharine Arnold (Author and Editor of The New Psychotherapist), an afternoon of tea and cake, and much more! More info here.

·       Chorleywood Bookshop will be celebrating their 50th anniversary (!) as well as IBW with a packed week of events, including: Boutique Book Club with novelist Clare Pooley to discuss her new book, The Authenticity Project, a joyful, uplifting novel about truth, friendship and the power of connection on Tuesday 21 June; an evening with best-selling writer and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg, talking about his captivating memoir, Back in the Day on Wednesday 22 June; best-selling crime writer, actor and comedian Mark Billingham will be bookseller for a day on Friday 24 June, and much more. More info here.

PODCAST AND ONLINE

As well as in-person events, Independent Bookshop Week celebrations will include lots of online activity, including:

·     Simon Savidge and Melanie Sykes will be the official Book Club for Indie Bookshop Week again this year. They’ll be reading a book from the Indie Book Awards shortlist for their June Book Club, which they will then discuss on their YouTube channel. More info here.

·     YouTube influencer Lauren and the Books will be hosting a Cosy Reading Night on Saturday 25 June between 7-10pm to celebrate Indie Bookshop Week. More info here.

·     Round Table Books (London) will be hosting a podcast recording of Down the Rabbit Hole, the podcast for grown-ups who love children’s books, hosted by Caroline Carpenter, Hannah Love, Charlie Morris and Sam Sedgman. The episode will see the special guest Namina Forna, YA author of The Merciless One  (Usborne) in conversation with guest host Stacey Thomas, book reviewer at Bad Form Review and judge on The Diverse Book Awards longlist. The episode will air on Saturday 18 June, the first day of IBW. More info here.

·     Denny’s Books (Thames Ditton, Surrey)will be hosting an episode of the podcast Writers Routine, a show discussing the work and lives of writers, hosted by Dan Simpson. More info here.

·     Gerrards Cross Bookshop (Buckinghamshire)will be hosting a recording a show of the podcast We’d Like A Word, a radio show and podcast about the words we write, the words we read, the words we say, hosted by Paul Waters and Stevyn Colgan. More info here.


INDIE TWINNING

Building on the success of previous years, the Indie Twinning strand of IBW is coming back for a third year, with independent publishers and independent bookshops teaming up to develop bespoke programmes of activity across the country. Confirmed indie twinning activities include:

·     The Book Hive (Norwich) will be twinning with independent publisher And Other Stories, to mark the publication of The Visitors by Jessi Jezewska Stevens. Inspired by the events in the book, set on the eve of the Occupy Wall Street protests, and whose protagonist suffers from hallucinations of a garden gnome, The Book Hive’s three-storey building will become “gnome man’s land”, inviting customers to build a new society and suggest a law or policy for the soon-to-be independent utopia/dystopia. At the end of the week, a team of booksellers and publishers will pick their favourites, who will be rewarded with an And Other Stories goody bag.

·     October Books (Southampton) are twinning with Manchester University Press. They will be doing a book launch event on Thursday 23 June for Borderland by Phil Hubbard, who used to work at October Books as a bookseller.

·     The Ginger Cat Children’s Bookshop (Kilmacolm) will be twinning with Andersen Press, with a window displays featuring a hand-painted standee from Robert Starling based on his new book The Bookshop Mice, along with activity sheets and signed bookplates; point of sale material from Elmer, The Bolds, Phil Earle, Harry Woodgate, and signed book plates from David McKee and Ross MacKenzie.

·     Forum Books (Corbridge) are delighted to be twinning with Head of Zeus, with more plans to be revealed.

·     Wallingford Bookshop (Oxfordshire) will be twinning with Guppy Books, and are planning a combination of online and in person activity, with something happening each day of IBW.

·     Green Dragon Bookshop (Crewkerne, Somerset) will be joining forces with the Louise Walters Books, a one-woman independent press from Northamptonshire.

·     Topping & Company Edinburgh will be twinning with award-winning indie press Fitzcarraldo Editions. There will be a bespoke window display, tote bags and postcards available throughout the week.

·     Books on the Hill (St Albans) will be twinning with VERVE Books, with celebrations including: author event with Jane Jesmond on Saturday 18 June in the bookshop; podcast episodes with VERVE authors Laurie Petrou and Carolyn Kirby; a social media giveaway for a personalised book buying experience at Books on the Hill; co-branded bookmarks; an special IBW window display and more.

·     Next Page Books (Hitchin) will be teaming up with children’s book publisher Barrington Stoke during IBW. They will hold an ‘Introduction to Barrington Stoke’ evening event for local parents and carers in the shop on Tuesday 21 June, where Jane Walker will talk about how their amazing books can help children break down barriers to reading and ensure that ‘every child can be a reader’.  In addition, Jane will also be a bookseller for a day on the same day, helping with displays, booking in stock and chatting to customers!

SPECIAL EDITIONS AND PUBLISHER EXCLUSIVES

·     The Independent Bookshop Week children’s bag will feature the mouse and the lion from the best-selling, award-winning picture book The Lion Inside (Hachette Children’s Group) by Rachel Bright and Jim Field. The bag will be part of the Independent Bookshop Week point of sale kits, which will be available exclusively from indie bookshops during IBW. To celebrate the upcoming publication of The Gecko and the Echo, there will also be a limited number of bookshop standees featuring Rachel & Jim’s gorgeous new character, Goldie.

·     Fig Tree (Penguin Random House) will produce an indie exclusive edition of The Whalebone Theatre, a wonderful debut by Joanna Quinn, published on 9 June. The exclusive edition will be signed by the author, with blue sprayed edges and foil on the cover.

·     We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza (HarperCollins) will have an indie bookshop exclusive edition with gorgeous blue sprayed edges, as well as POS packs including bookmarks, posters and tote bags, which will be released exclusively for indies ahead of official publication on 7 July.

·     Rex: Dinosaur in Disguise by Elys Dolan (Walker), a comedy of errors starring the instantly-loveable Rex – the first book ins a series for 7+ readers – will make available for independent bookshops a standee, print, bookmarks, poster and downloadable activity pack, perfect for keeping little dinosaurs busy.

·     Celebrate IBW and the 10th birthday of George, everyone’s favourite calamitous dog from Oh No, George!  (Walker) – with a delightful “why not visit your local bookshop?” poster, designed exclusively for IBW by award-winning Chris Haughton.

Emma Bradshaw, Head of Campaigns at the BA, said: “We can’t wait to celebrate Independent Bookshop Week with indie booksellers and book-lovers across the country this June.

“From author events to school initiatives, and from podcast recordings to their own literary festivals (!), independent booksellers are proving ever full of creativity and dedication, not only as they curate a special week-long line-up of activities, but also in their everyday work, as pillars of their high streets and local communities.

“We invite everyone to join us as we celebrate the brilliance of independent booksellers, during and beyond Independent Bookshop Week!”

Richard Coles said: “Nothing gives me more pleasure than the thought of Canon Clement, his mother and his dachshunds finding their home at independent bookshops around the country and I can’t wait to meet as many booksellers as I can!”

Follow the latest developments via social media: #IndieBookshopWeek @BooksAreMyBag

Keep the Heid and Read!

Scotland’s Makar Kathleen Jamie leads pledge support for national reading initiative

Scotland’s Makar, Kathleen Jamie, is one of the first people in the country to pledge their support for the Keep the Heid and Read! campaign, which launched this week.

Joining some of the country’s most influential individuals and organisations, including the Institute of Directors and the SPFL Trust, in pledging to take part in the ‘national reading moment’ on Wednesday 11 May, the Makar was happy to help drive awareness of the project.

The Scotland-wide initiative, led by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) and with support from Baillie Gifford, aims to inspire and encourage people of all ages and abilities to read every day to boost their mental health and wellbeing – starting with a pledge to read for just six minutes on11 May.

Research shows that reading for six minutes a day can reduce stress by 68 per cent – in people of all ages.  With the national reading moment due to take place during Mental Health Week 2022 (9-15 May 2022), the campaign signals the perfect opportunity to take stock and establish a regular reading habit.

Kathleen Jamie, the national poet for Scotland (2021-2024), said: “Our local libraries are full of great reading material – books of course, but also comics and pamphlets of poetry, so they are the perfect places to release the imagination, whatever your ability and interests.

“Reading for pleasure can have a huge impact on our wellbeing.  I read every day, often early in the morning to set me up for the day, so I’m glad to support the Keep the Heid and Read campaign.  I’ve pledged my six minutes of reading on 11 May and would encourage everyone else to do the same.”

An online totaliser, capturing the number of reading minutes pledged towards the national reading moment, is available at: www.keeptheheid.scot

Speaking about the inspiration behind the Keep the Heid and Read! campaign, Pamela Tulloch, chief executive at SLIC, said: “This campaign was designed to promote the positive and easy-to-implement changes which can help increase mental health and wellbeing, and highlight the part local libraries can play in that process.

“We believe starting with a simple pledge to read for just six minutes on 11 May will help inspire people to take forward these good habits in their everyday lives.”

Working in partnership with Scotland’s 32 public library services, SLIC hopes the free to use services across Scotland will encourage as many people as possible to get involved in the Keep the Heid and Read! campaign.

Pamela added: “Libraries play a valuable role in reconnecting communities and with the majority of libraries now reopened across Scotland after the pandemic – all with an abundance of free reading materials available – we hope these services will allow people all over Scotland to take part in the national reading moment.”

Individuals and groups, such as schools and workplaces, are invited to sign up now to get involved at www.keeptheheid.scot, and add to the totaliser count.  Gaelic translated ‘Na bi ga do chall fhèin, leugh!’ campaign materials are also available in full. 

Keep up-to-date and share your support using #keeptheheid on social media. 

Link to SLIC’s online totaliser: https://www.keeptheheid.scot/

Auction results speak volumes in fight against meningitis

An auction of books left in a legacy has raised over £1,000 to help fight meningitis.

The money will be used to support charity Meningitis Now’s work to defeat meningitis in the UK within a generation.

Trevor Reid, the charity’s Director of Fundraising and Communications, said: “There was nothing particularly remarkable about this collection of books – it was just the random selection each and every one of us might have on our bookshelves at home.

“It is a powerful reminder though that even those who might not be able to support our lifesaving and life-changing work with a cash legacy gift, particularly in these cash straitened times, can still make a difference to our work fighting meningitis.

“A gift of household items, be it books, a painting, ceramics, or other everyday objects, can be just as significant.

“As the many antique programmes we enjoy on our television screens every week demonstrate time and again, any of these may have greater value than is at first realised.”

Trevor continued: “It’s lovely to be able to celebrate gifts to our charity, large and small, and there’s always a story behind every donation.

“And all these gifts mount up and can help us to be here not just today but for future generations affected by meningitis.”

Although most of the books put up for auction raised a small amount, one lot, a collection of JRR Tolkien books, including old editions of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, raised nearly £500.

Trevor added: “They were in far from pristine condition and nor were they first editions, but they clearly had more than just sentimental value to the person who kindly left them to us, as well as the person who bid generously to buy them at auction.”

Gifts in Wills from supporters are a vital way to help Meningitis Now fulfil its vision of a future where no-one in the UK loses their life to meningitis and everyone affected gets the support they need to rebuild their lives.

If you’d like to leave a gift in your will to Meningitis Now or make a donation please see the website https://www.meningitisnow.org/support-us/donate/ways-you-can-donate/

Meningitis Now recommends people consult a solicitor before making or changing a will.

Hundreds of books donated to children supported by Home-Start Scotland

More than 2,500 books have been donated to families supported by Home-Start Scotland thanks to a national charity that has been bringing the benefits of reading and writing to people in Scotland for more than 21 years.

The generous donation from Scottish Book Trust will be shared among many of the 30 Home-Starts across Scotland.

Scottish Book Trust Bookbug and Read Write Count bags, will provide donation of picture books suitable for babies, toddlers and children up primary school age.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust said: “Books have the power to change lives. A love of reading inspires creativity. There are many benefits to sharing stories, songs and rhymes with toddlers and pre-schoolers, it gives them the best start in life.

“We are delighted to support Home-Start Scotland and hope these books will support many families within our communities.

“Research proves that reading for pleasure is central in helping to support wellbeing and mental health, positively impacting learners’ attainment across the curriculum, sparking critical thinking, creativity, empathy and resilience.”

Christine Carlin, Director of Home-Start Scotland, said: “We are delighted to receive this wonderful donation from Scottish Book Trust.

“For parents, just a few minutes reading to their children gives them time to step back from the stress of everyday life and enjoy special time with their youngsters.

“Even just sitting closely together looking at a book feels special. For children reading books themselves, it creates a calm, quiet time to build explore and share how they feel, their thoughts and experiences. Reading opens up a world of endless possibilities!”

Home-Start matches highly trained volunteers with local families who need support. Families come to the charity for all sorts of reason – including postnatal depression, coping with twins, isolation and loneliness, disabilities, bereavement or financial worries.

The support is there for as long as the family needs it.

To find your local Home-Start follow the link: https://www.home-start.org.uk/find-your-nearest-home-start

Pictures: Scottish Book Trust

The George marks Women’s History Month with new literary partnership 

InterContinental Edinburgh The George is celebrating Women’s History Month by launching a new partnership with female-owned bookstore, Rare Birds Book Shop, to encourage guests to explore Scotland’s female literary greats. 

The partnership will pay homage to the hotel’s impressive literary ties and its most-famous former guest, writer Susan Ferrier, with a new experience: ‘Scotland’s Inspiring Females Package’.

The package offers guests, who book a stay from 8th March 2022 (IWD), the chance to add an accompanying book bundle from trailblazing Scottish female authors, hand-selected by Rare Birds Books.  

Included in the ‘Scotland’s Inspiring Females Package’ is Jackie Kay, Scotland’s former Makar, with her debut novel Trumpet, a fictionalised chronicle of the life and death of transgender jazz artist Billy Tipton; quintessentially Edinburgh author, Muriel Spark and her story of a glamorous outspoken teacher, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie; as well as Susan Ferrier’s Marriage.  

Susan Ferrier, who resided at the hotel when it was a collection of luxury Georgian townhouses in the 18th century, is widely referred to as Scotland’s answer to Jane Austin.

Her debut book, Marriage, was published in 1818 and tells the story of an English heiress, who elopes with a handsome Scot to live in a castle in the Highlands. Characters in the novel were based on real acquaintances she met during her time at The George, such as iconic Scottish poet Robert Burns and author Sir Walter Scott. 

Books will be beautifully packaged and ready for guests in their room on arrival alongside a charming booklet with insider information on each book and its author. The package includes room, bed and breakfast and prices start from £289.  

Rare Birds Book Shop, located in the heart of Stockbridge, is on a mission to champion women’s writing, by helping enthusiasts to discover great books by great women. Founded in 2017 it has built a vibrant community of booklovers around the world through its book club.  

Rachel Wood, (above), founder and owner of Rare Birds Book Shop, said: “There’s nothing we love more than helping readers discover writing by women, and what better way to help visitors discover Edinburgh’s rich literary history than by shining the spotlight on three brilliant Scottish writers, whose work has captured the imagination of readers around the world.”  

Kieran Quinn, Hotel General Manager at InterContinental Edinburgh The George, said: “We are so proud of our historical ties to some of Scotland’s greatest literary experts, so it felt only right that this International Women’s Day, we launched a new offering for guests to delve back into the work of those women who once stayed and were inspired by where we now call home and learn more about more modern Scottish female authors too.” 

For more information, please visit https://edinburgh.intercontinental.com/offers/ 

Enterprise and National Literacy Trust’s School Road Trip arrives at Hermitage Park

Enterprise Rent-A-Car and the National Literacy Trust have teamed up to give away almost 23,000 copies of Serena Patel’s award-winning book, Anisha, Accidental Detective, to 240 primary schools in nine cities around the UK.

Today, a team from Enterprise will land in Edinburgh at Hermitage Park Primary School as part of a five-day tour of the UK to deliver the books in a van specially decorated by the book’s illustrator Emma McCann, featuring characters from the book.

The National Literacy Trust has worked with Enterprise to identify communities across the UK that will benefit from an injection of books and the charity is confident that this donation will help to increase reading for pleasure among these children.

The road trip started in Belfast on Monday and will visit schools in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bradford, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and London.

The aim of the initiative is to provide schools in very diverse inner-city communities with a stock of interesting books that they can gift children to take home and keep as this reinforces classroom learning.

Enterprise employees have recorded a read-along version of the book which children can access via an online link or QR code as an added aid to help them read.

Research shows that reading for pleasure out of school is a major contributing factor to success at school and then in later life and is even linked to a higher lifetime earning potential.

The initiative was made possible with a £128,000 donation from the Enterprise Holdings Foundation as part of the US$55 million global ROAD Forward initiative that promotes social and racial equity projects across the world.

Darranda Rowswell, Director of Development at the National Literacy Trust, said: “Around one in 11 children from lower income families don’t have a book of their own at home.

“Reading is not just great fun, but it’s a vital skill and we want all children to love reading. Children and young people who enjoy reading and who read frequently are better readers, helping them to realise their fullest potential at school and in life.

“This book donation is one more important step in our literacy recovery programme to address the educational issues caused by the pandemic and will help the children who need it most. We’re so happy that Enterprise was able to support us in this programme which will see thousands of children benefitting from this exciting book.”

Simon Caughey-Rogers, Enterprise’s Corporate Social Responsibility and Charity Events Manager, said the partnership with the National Literacy Trust has had enormous support from the whole of the company.

He added: “Many of our super star employees also struggled with reading at school. Every child should get the support they need to be their best and we hope this initiative will go a little way to helping more children get the resources they need. We are really looking forward to their feedback and excited to see how they get on with the book.”

Research from the CLPE in 2020 revealed that only eight per cent of children’s books featured an ethnic minority leading character. Serena Patel’s book was chosen to inspire children who may not usually see themselves represented in the books they read.

Author Serena Patel said she supported the National Literacy Trusts’ campaign to promote reading for pleasure and was delighted that her book was playing an important part in the programme. 

Serena said: “I was thrilled when I heard that Enterprise and the National Literacy Trust were coming together for this initiative to gift books to children in primary schools. The lockdowns have been tough for everyone and so being part of such a positive, inspiring project is a massive privilege.

“I couldn’t be prouder that Anisha will be helping encourage children to discover the excitement of reading. Huge thanks to Enterprise for making it happen and for supporting young readers all over the country.”

Enterprise’s ROAD (Respect, Opportunity, Achievement, Diversity) Forward programme is a global initiative launched by the Enterprise Holdings Foundation, aimed at strengthening and supporting the communities where the company operates. It provides funding to projects that open opportunity for people who lack of access to resources in education, health and wellbeing.

The Enterprise Holdings Foundation was established in 1982 to give back to the communities where partners and employees live and work.

Social mobility is core to Enterprise’s hiring and development strategy.

The company was recently awarded Organisation of the Year and Progression Programme of the Year at the UK Social Mobility Awards (SOMOs).

River City and Edinburgh panto star Jordan Young helps inspire a love of reading in children

Jordan Young reads bedtime story for young children and families

River City and Edinburgh Christmas panto star, Jordan Young, has recorded The Last Wolf by Mini Grey – a powerful and funny story that reimagines the classic Little Red Riding Hood in an entirely new way. 

The reading is in support of the partnership between charities Children 1st and the Dollywood Foundation UK, which are working to spark the love of reading in every child in Scotland. 

Children and families can enjoy Jordon’s reading of the Penguin book on the Children 1st website.

Jordan is the latest in a series of well-known book lovers to record children’s stories for the campaign, including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, actor and musician Tom Urie, radio presenter Katy Johnston, actor Sanjeev Kohli and singers Michelle McManus and Eddi Reader. 

Jordan commented: “I’m absolutely delighted to read this month’s bedtime story to support Children 1st and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. I really enjoy reading to my two young children every night and sharing the joy of stories together.

“My children love them – it lets them use their imagination, helps them get to sleep and provides a time we all look forward to every evening. I hope my reading of The Last Wolf inspires other children to develop a love of reading too.”

As well as encouraging families to enjoy the celebrity videos together, the charities are also encouraging avid readers to donate to the campaign, to help share their love of reading with children in Scotland who may not have access to books at home.

With public support, the charities will deliver a free book to children who might otherwise go without, every month from birth to their fifth birthday. Alongside the books, children and their families are also offered practical and emotional support to keep their children safe and to support their wellbeing and development.  

A parent, whose young child has been receiving books, said: “I think all children should get to have a story at bedtime. Getting books in the post addressed to my son is really exciting for him.

“Having a new book keeps it fresh and stops him getting bored listening to the same story all the time. It’s been great for my son and even for his older siblings too, as they’re enjoying reading the new stories to their little brother.” 

Gary Kernahan, Children 1st Director of Fundraising, said: “We’re delighted that Jordon is supporting this campaign and helping to pass on his love of reading and stories to other children across Scotland.

“Stories are an important part of childhood and Children 1st wants to ensure that all children get to experience the joy of books.

“If you would like to help support this important campaign and help more children who don’t have access to books at home to develop a love of reading, please donate today at www.children1st.org.uk/imaginationlibrary.”

You can watch Jordan read The Last Wolf at: 

www.children1st.org.uk/imaginationlibrary

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler back Scottish Book Trust major fundraising mission for Scotland

National charity Scottish Book Trust has today launched a major fundraising campaign, backed by The Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler, to drive its new ambition of ensuring everyone in Scotland has access to books and that no one misses out on the many lifelong benefits this brings.

Since the pandemic, the charity has been overwhelmed by increasing demand for its vital work to support vulnerable children and families.

Featuring a woodland illustration of The Gruffalo’s ‘deep dark wood’ from the iconic picture book, with the main Gruffalo character missing from the scene, the campaign refers to the famous line from the story that ‘there is no such thing as a Gruffalo’ and uses it to illustrate that for many children this is true because they don’t have books at home.

Without books, children are missing out and the impact of this lasts a lifetime. Books help families bond, bring joy and comfort, give children a sense of escapism and, importantly, improve their mental health and wellbeing.

New research conducted by Scottish Book Trust revealed that 85% of parents from Scotland’s most deprived areas said that reading helps them bond with their child and that reading makes their children happy, while 95% of all parents in Scotland said they think it is important for children to own their own books.

Julia Donaldson said: “I have read and performed my stories to many children in Scotland and when The Gruffalo was published, I was writer-in-residence at Easterhouse in Glasgow. I have seen first-hand how books can light up a child, catch an imagination and change a life.

“A lot of the work I have done has been alongside Scottish Book Trust and I have seen the important and effective work that they do for children and families throughout Scotland.

“I couldn’t be more pleased that The Gruffalo is now leading a fundraising campaign for the charity at a time when families need books and support more than ever.”

Axel Scheffler said: “It is sobering to see these well-known pictures from The Gruffalo without the characters included and to be starkly reminded that so many children and families have no access to books.

“Helping them to gain access is an urgent issue and I hope that this campaign will be able to raise the funds needed for Scottish Book Trust to make a difference to children’s lives in Scotland.”

Scottish Book Trust also surveyed education and early years practitioners and their responses underlined the need for books at home was great, with over two thirds stating some children they work with only own books gifted to them by Scottish Book Trust. Over 90% of respondents also stated that some pupils had lost reading skill and vocabulary due to lockdown.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “The need for our work has never been greater than now, and the stark, long-term effects of the pandemic have only exacerbated this. Access to books and reading are absolutely essential for a child’s development and life chances – without books at home, young people in Scotland are missing out.

“By supporting Scottish Book Trust’s fundraising campaign, you can help us deliver more of our vital work to support those who need our help the most. We are incredibly grateful to Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler and Macmillan Children’s Books for their support.”

Funds raised from the campaign will enable Scottish Book Trust to deliver more of its life-changing work. Some examples of its programmes include specialist outreach support for young families through Bookbug for the Home, providing tactile books for children with additional support needs, supporting those living with dementia and the people who care for them, and giving books to families in need through food banks and community hubs.

http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/donate

It’s Bookshop Day!

SATURDAY 9th OCTOBER

·       Jeanette Winterson, Ian Rankin, Mark O’Connell, Val McDermid, Mark Billingham, Piers Torday, Glastonbury performer Spoz, K.N. Chimbiri, Jodie Chapman confirmed to take part

·       BookTokers celebrating Bookshop Day for the first time

·       Author events in-person, charity initiatives, community space take-overs, poetry competitions, stunning window displays, spoken word performances are just some of the reasons to visit your local bookshop

Plans for Bookshop Day, the annual celebration of bookshops across the UK and Ireland (Saturday 9th October), include author events and signings with Jeanette Winterson, Ian Rankin, Mark O’Connell, Val McDermid, K.N. Chimbiri, Piers Torday and many more; exciting bookshop exclusives and promotions; charitable initiatives with Book Aid and other charities; BookTokers celebrating Bookshop Day on TikTok for the first time; window displays by local illustrators; poetry competitions; spoken word performances by Glastonbury artists, and much more.

Celebrating bookshops big and small, Bookshop Day is the annual reminder that bookshops are so much more than just places selling books. With Christmas fast approaching, the Booksellers Association is encouraging customers to “Shop Early, Shop Local” this autumn, and to start thinking about their Christmas shopping earlier.

Booksellers will be on hand to help customers choose the perfect gifts for their loved ones, both in-store and via their websites, phone or email.

EDINBURGH SPOTLIGHT

To mark Bookshop Day, the city of Edinburgh will be taken over by a series of colourful billboards featuring Dapo Adeola’s artwork and ‘Choose Bookshops’ messaging.

The 21 billboards were unveiled on Monday in the run-up to Bookshop Day, in locations including Prince St, Haymarket, Portobello, Fountainbridge and more.

They will be on display until Monday 18th October. Using the artwork created by Dapo Adeola for this year’s Limited-Edition Bag, they will be encouraging consumers to choose bookshops this Bookshop Day.

BOOKSHOP EVENTS

With events taking place across the country, highlights include:

·       Jeanette Winterson, best-selling author of 12 Bytes,and Mark O’Connell, author of Notes from an Apocalypseand To Be a Machine, will have a fascinating discussion at Manchester Central Library about what humanity might do next, in partnership with Waterstones. Part of Manchester Literature Festival, the event is in partnership with Centre for New Writing and Creative Manchester and hosted by writer Kate Feld. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 6pm).

·       Lara Maiklem, bestselling author of Mudlarking and most recently A Field Guide to Larking, will be doing an event at Festival in a Factory in Stoke-on-Trent, in partnership with Waterstones Hanley, where you’ll be able to discover the treasures just beneath our feet, hidden in rivers, streams, fields, beaches and connect with people of the past through the everyday items left behind. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 11am).

·       Robin Ince will be at Mount Florida Books in Glasgow on Bookshop Day as a part of his #100Bookshops tour to celebrate the release of his new book, The Importance of Being Interested. More info about the Mount Florida event here (Saturday 9th October, 8pm). Other shops include The Chorleywood Bookshop (the bookshop of his childhood), Our Bookshop in Tring (his current local bookshop) and shops in St Helens, Stewarton, Carlisle, Settle, Ilkley, Wootton-Under-Edge, Bristol, Sidmouth and Exeter.At each stop he will ask the booksellers to recommend the book that has piqued their curiosity the most and will create a site charting the path of the tour and the recommendations. All the shops taking part in the tour are listed here.

·       Nigel Warburton will interview Amia Srinivasan, the author of the recently-released Sunday Times bestseller The Right to Sex at Blackwell’s Oxford. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 11am).

·       Max Hastings, in his signature brilliant style, will give a thrilling narrative of this little-known but crucial naval battle, retelling the intense action which perfectly encapsulates the spirit and power of the Royal Navy, as part of the Dorchester Literary Festival, in partnership with Waterstones. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 2pm).

·       Raynor Winn, bestselling author of The Salt Path, will be doing an event as part of Dorchester Literary Festival, in partnership with Waterstones, where she will discuss his latest book, The Wild Silence, which tells the story of one couple’s inextricable connection to the land; and how by exploring their past, Raynor comes to terms with their future. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 4pm)

·       Ann Cleeves, bestselling author of the Shetland, Vera and Two Rivers novels will be doing a signing at her local bookshop, The Bound in Whitley Bay, Northumberland (Saturday 9th October).

·       Melissa Cummings-Quarry and Natalie A. Carter, authors of Grown: The Black Girls’ Guide to Glowing Up will be doing an event at the newly opened Bookhaus Bristol. Founders of Black Girls’ Book Club will be sharing stories and offer honest, practical advice on how to own your choices, to live your truth without fear and to be grown on your own terms without limits or apologies. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 4pm).

·       Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre will be hosting a Kevin VS The Unicorns series of events at Max Minerva’s Marvellous Books in Bristol. More info here (Saturday 9th October, sessions at 10am, 10:45am, 11:30am).

·       Graeme Macrae Burnet will be doing a mystery drop-in tour of bookshops in the North of England, starting at The Book Case, Hebden Bridge, to sign copies of Case Study and say hello.

·       Phil Earl, author of When The Sky Falls, will be visiting over 20 bookshops in Lancashire and Yorkshire in the lead-up to Bookshop Day to sign copies of his book.

·       Alexandra Page, debut author of the YA novel Wishyouwas, will be doing an in-store signing at The Rocketship Bookshop in Salisbury. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 11am).

·       Joe Shute, Yorkshire-based journalist and author of Forecast: A Diary of the Lost Seasons, will be doing at event at Ilkley Lit Festival with books sold by The Grove Bookshop. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 12:30pm).

·       Catherine Menon and Neema Shah will have a panel discussion about their debut novels. Fragile Monsters by Menon traces one family’s story from 1920 to the present day, while Shah’s Kololo Hill is set during the expulsion of Ugandan Asians by Idi Amin and follows an Asian Ugandan family whose lives are torn apart in 1972 as they must leave the country. The event is part of Ilkley Literature Festival in partnership with The Grove Bookshop. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 3pm)

·       Piers Torday, author of The Wild Before, will be recording a special episode with award-winning podcast Writers Routine, to be released just in time for Bookshop Day. More info here (Saturday 9th October).

·       Tim Weaver, bestselling crime author of Missing Pieces, will be visiting bookshops around Bath to sign copies of his book, including Waterstones Bath, Oldfield Bookshop and Mr B’s Emporium (Saturday 9th October, 11am-1pm).

·       Really Big Pants will be performing at Pickled Pepper Books in Crouch End. The show will be Clare and Cory Share a (Glorious) Story with an accompanying longer form picture book, illustrated by the award-winning Steve Smallman. More info here. (Saturday 9th October, 10-11:30am).

·       James Norbury will be doing a bespoke painting in the shop window of Book-ish in Crickhowell for his new release, Big Panda and Tiny Dragon on Friday 8th October. The following day, he will then be in the shop for the day to sign copies of his book (Saturday 9th October).

·       Brummie poet and Glastonbury performer Spoz will be doing a live performance poetry outside The Bookshop on the Green in Birmingham, to launch his new children’s poetry collection Canaligator. Children can then get creative and create their own chocolate raps with Spoz after each performance. (Saturday 9th October, 11am and 1pm)

·       K.N. Chimbiri, author of The Story of Afro Hair, and Vanessa Taylor, author of Balelr Boys, will be doing a signing with Book & Kulture on the weekend of Bookshop Day, as part of a collaboration with Black Wall Street London, a permanent retail store on Camden High Street focused on products by diverse makers and crafters. Over the weekend, Book & Kulture will be taking over the basement space and turning it into a bookshop for two days. More info here (Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th October, 10am-7pm).

·       Jodie Chapman, Ashford author of the debut novel Another Life, will be doing a signing at Waterstones in Ashford. Another Life is set in Ashford and explores love, hope and sacrifice, and was a BBC 2 Between the Covers pick. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 11am).

·       Poet Zaro Weil, author of and Cherry Moon current CLiPPA Award winner, will be hosting an event for families at The Book Nook in Hove on Bookshop Day. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 11am).

·       Local author Lynne Francis will be signing copies of her ‘Margate Maid’ series The Secret Child and A Maid’s Ruin at Waterstones in Dean. More info here. (Saturday 9th October, 11am-2pm).

·       The Book Nook in Stewarton is holding ‘Activities with Authors’ throughout Bookshop Day, where authors will be chatting to customers, signing books and doing specially planned activities. Authors include Petra Baillie, author and illustrator of a range of children’s books including Illustrateyour Own books and The Strange and Wonderful Adventures of Pippa; Sharon Baillie, author of Magenta Opium; Jerry Brannigan, author of Robert Burns in Edinburgh; Lindsay Littleson, author of a range of children’s books including The Titanic Detective Agency, Secrets of the Last Merfolk and Guardians of the Lost Unicorns; and Hannah Willow, expert in mindfulness for children, author of Just Be (Saturday 9th October).

·       Chicken and Frog Bookshop in Essexwill be hosting a number of events throughout the week including a poetry slam hosted by local DJ and poet Stuart Pink (Thursday 7th October, 7:30pm), the book launch for Frankie Durkin’s latest release, followed by a Book Club dinner (Saturday 9th October) and an online event with Melissa Welliver, debut YA author of The Undying Tower (Sunday 10th October, 7pm).

·       Owl and Pyramid Bookshop in Devon will be hosting a number of events to mark Bookshop Day, including a book treasure hunt for children, blind date with a book for adults and children, raffle for book bundles, adults and children, free £5 voucher with every spend over £35, 10% off any Christmas books, games and Christmas cards and the launch of their new loyalty system and subscription service.

·       The Ivybridge Bookshop in Devon will be hosting children’s storytelling and activities with local authors including Clare Helen Welsh and Holly Ryan for a morning of stories featuring dragons, mermaids, pirates, princesses, owls, terns, peacocks and elephants! (Saturday 9th October, 10am).

·       Truman Books in Leeds will be hosting a number of events, including a late-night shopping event with free glass of bubbles (Thursday 7th October) and storytime for under-fives, a kids writing and a drawing competition to win a £10 book token, a free tote bag with all purchases over £30 (Saturday 9th October).

·       Picaresque Books & Galerie Fantoosh in Dingwall will be holding a “Gathering of Authors” for Bookshop Day, with local authors donating signed copies of their books to go for auction in aid of Book Aid. Signed books by Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Mark Billingham, Graeme Macrae Burnett and S.G. Maclean will be available and local authors including Barbara Henderson, Helen Sedgwick, Brian Devlin, Margaret Kirk, Virginian Crow, Morven-May McCallum, Verity Walker Eley, Sharon Gunnason Pottinger and Norman Newton will pop in the shop during the day (Saturday 9th October).

·       Typeset Space, a new community bookshop and co-working space in Rotherham, will be giving £5 vouchers to people who bring them a five-line poem (known as a “quintain” – this could be a limerick, a verse of a sonnet, a Japanese-style tanka, or any other format you like!). They will select five poems per day to award with vouchers, to be used in store. More info here (Tuesday 5th – Saturday 9th October).

·       Mostly Books in Abingdon will be turning into Pixies to celebrate Bookshop Day. They are planning to drop gift wrapped books around town for people to find and keep. They will also be offering every customer who spends £20 or more the chance to win a hamper full of book related goodies as well as offering every customer who spends over £50 a free Books Are My Bag Limited-Edition Bag (Saturday 9th October).

·       Cambridge University Press Bookshop will be offering 10% off all books on Bookshop Day for all customers who mention “Bookshop Day”. They are also offering a free branded tote bag with every associated purchase (Saturday 9th October).

·       B For Butterfly Books inSale, Greater Manchester will be holding a ‘Family Fun Day’ to mark Bookshop Day. The event is free to attend, but the bookshop is asking attendees to consider donating to one of the charities supported by Emporium M3, including clean empty crisp packets to Cyril Flint Befrienders, plastic milk bottle tops to Pathfinder Dogs, used postage stamps to Nightingale Centre at Wytheshawe Hospital, pet food to Cats of M33, and second hand bras, football kits and boots to Bras for Africa. More info here (Saturday 9th October, 10am-5pm)

·       Review Bookshop in Peckham will be putting together a special window display to promote their favourite books of 2021 so far, and their favourite books by local writers in Peckham and Southwark – including Featherhood by Charlie Gimour, The Upper World by Femi Fadugba, The Actual by Inua Ellams, Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson and more.

BOOKTOKERS

Bookshop Day will be working with TikTok influencers for the first time this year, with some of the most popular BookTokers in the UK helping celebrate bookshops, and encouraging their thousands of followers to do the same.

Coming from up and down the country, from Wolverhampton to Surrey to Sunderland, confirmed BookTokers include: caitlinreadsbooks (61.1k followers), whatbritreads (46.8k followers), the_caffeinatedreader (31.5k followers), anya.reads (54.2k followers), cultofbooks (48.2k followers) and more.

They will be creating exclusive content in their local bookshops, as well as showcasing their favourite books to read on Bookshop Day and beyond.

LIMITED EDITION BAG

Award-winning illustrator Dapo Adeola is the creator of this year’s Books Are My Bag Limited-Edition Bag, which will be available exclusively in bookshops from Bookshop Day.

Joining the likes of artists and illustrators such as Charlie Mackesy, Sir Peter Blake, Grayson Perry, Tracey Emin and Orla Kiely, who have designed previous editions of the bag, due to popular demand Dapo’s bag has had the biggest run a Limited-Edition Bag since Bookshop Day began.

BOOKSHOP.ORG FREE SHIPPING

Bookshop.org, the book-buying website on a mission to support independent bookshops and literary culture, will be offering free shipping on all purchases made through their website on Bookshop Day.

Bookshop.org encourages customers to shop at their local bookshop as much as possible, and offers a brilliant ethical alternative to anyone who wants to purchase their books online while supporting bookshops across the UK.

BOOKSHOP OPENINGS

Opening its doors just after Bookshop Day, Afrori Books will be the UK’s biggest supplier of books by Black authors, and Brighton’s first Black-owned bookshop. After operating online for more than a year, owner Carolynn Bain launched a crowdfunding effort on her website to raise £10,000, allowing her to open a bricks and mortar bookshop.

Meanwhile, the independent community bookshop Once Upon a Time Bookshop in Alston, Cumbria will be moving into a new shop and will be reopening on Bookshop Day, as they opened their previous shop three years ago on Bookshop Day 2018.

Piers Torday, author of The Wild Before, said: “My favourite bookshop is Pickled Pepper Books in Crouch End, North London – not just because they have supported my books from the very start, but it is a wonderful shop, so welcoming to children and families.

“Steve and Urmi are always ahead of the curve, and understood early on how the bookshop experience was changing; they converted a room above the store into a children’s theatre, they went full on into supplying school events (including mine) and can also happily fulfil any order, children’s or adult.

“They’ve just opened a new pop-up shop in Enfield, and I hope to be popping by there soon, because buying a book at Pickled Pepper is always a joy.”

Emma Bradshaw, Head of Campaigns at the Booksellers Association, said: “One week to Bookshop Day, and we’re already buzzing with excitement! From organising poetry competitions and spoken word sets to secretly dropping books around town, to mind-blowing window displays – the creativity of booksellers knows no limit, and they will have something in store for everyone this Bookshop Day.

“As the beating hearts of their communities, bookshops getting involved in charitable initiatives is a real testament to the incredible contribution they bring to the high street, and the local communities they serve. We wish everyone a wonderful Bookshop Day!”

Details of Bookshop Day events taking place across the country can be found on the Books are My Bag Facebook events page.

Follow the latest development on social media via @booksaremybag / #BookshopDay

Search is on for Bookbug Hero

Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, has announced that nominations for the Bookbug Hero Award 2022 are now open.

Run in association with Walker Books, the award aims to honour someone working with Bookbug who has used the programme to make a real difference to the lives of the young children, families and communities they work with.

Scottish Book Trust is asking people across the country to nominate a librarian, early years worker, volunteer, health visitor, or anyone who uses Bookbug in their work. The winner will receive a special trophy and a bundle of picture books worth £500 from Walker Books.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “Scottish Book Trust is pleased to welcome nominations for the Bookbug Hero Award: a prize that celebrates the fantastic work of our Bookbug practitioners across Scotland.

“Without the hard work of those in libraries, early years settings and through the health service, many young children would not know the joy of sharing stories, songs and rhymes. Our thanks to Walker Books for supporting the prize and allowing us to recognise these heroes in the local community.”

Kylie Watt, Nursery Practitioner at Longridge Nursery and winner of the Bookbug Hero Award 2021, (above) said: “I was extremely honoured to have won the Bookbug Hero Award for 2021. It affirmed my passion and vision as an educator to actively encourage the joys, benefits, and motivations of reading from a young age.

“Nominating your colleagues allows them to share their best practice, passing on new ideas and skills and importantly acknowledging their efforts and successes.”

Jane Winterbotham, Publishing Director at Walker Books said: “The Bookbug Hero Award highlights all the fantastic staff who run Bookbug programmes across their communities, and we are delighted that we can continue to show our appreciation and support of that work by sponsoring the award.

“The award shows appreciation for practitioners who champion reading and work tirelessly to change lives through stories. We look forward to hearing more about the next Bookbug Hero.”

Nominations for the Bookbug Hero Award can be made online via Scottish Book Trust’s website. The closing date for nominations is Friday 26 November 2021.